at home in connecticut in 1961 he told walter cronkite -- >> it's like a baseball player or any athlete. he's only good when he instinctively does the right thing. the dave brubeck quartet's signature tune "tyke five" appeared on their landmark album "time out." released in 1959, it was the first jazz album to sell a million copies. the opening cut "bluerondo allah turk" was taken from a street rhythm in istanbul. >> one two, one two, one two three." >> reporter: throughout his career, brubeck was an ambassador for music. in 1988, he played at the reagan/gorbachev summit in moscow and later remembered -- >> the room started keeping time. all these people that almost hated each other were swinging. >> reporter: in 1994, president clinton awarded him the national medal of the arts. >> i'll never forget the first time when, as a high school musician, i discovered that i could actually play the saxophone lead in "take five." (laughter) >> reporter: in 2009, the kennedy center honored his sex decades of creation and invention. >> rhythm is an international language. dave brubeck spoke it flu